Proverbs 25
BSB
More Proverbs of Solomon
1These are additional proverbs of Solomon, which were copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:
2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter
and the glory of kings to search it out.
3As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings cannot be searched.
4Remove the dross from the silver,
and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth.
5Remove the wicked from the king’s presence,
and his throne will be established in righteousness.
6Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
and do not stand in the place of great men;
7for it is better that he says to you, “Come up here!”
than that you should be demoted in the presence of the prince.
Even what you have seen with your own eyes,
8do not bring hastily to court.
Otherwise, what will you do in the end
when your neighbor puts you to shame?
9Argue your case with your neighbor
without betraying another’s confidence,
10lest the one who hears may disgrace you,
and your infamy never go away.
11A word fitly spoken
is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
12Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold
is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.
13Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest
is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him;
he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14Like clouds and wind without rain
is the man who boasts of gifts never given.
15Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,
and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
16If you find honey, eat just what you need,
lest you have too much and vomit it up.
17Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house,
lest he grow weary and hate you.
18Like a club or sword or sharp arrow
is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.
19Like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint
is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.
20Like one who removes a garment on a cold day
or vinegar poured on a wound
is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the LORD will reward you.
23As the north wind brings forth rain,
so a backbiting tongue brings angry looks.
24Better to live on a corner of the roof
than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
25Like cold water to a weary soul
is good news from a distant land.
26Like a muddied spring or a polluted well
is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.
27It is not good to eat too much honey
or to search out one’s own glory.
28Like a city whose walls are broken down
is a man who does not control his temper.
Introduction
Proverbs 25
This verse is the title of this latter collection of Solomon's proverbs, for he sought out and set in order many proverbs, that by them he might be still teaching the people knowledge, Ecc 12:9. Observe, 1. The proverbs were Solomon's, who was divinely inspired to deliver, for the use of the church, these wise and weighty sentences; we have had many, but still there are more. Yet herein Christ is greater than Solomon, for if we had all upon record that Christ said, and did, that was instructive, the world could not contain the books that would be written, Joh 21:25. 2. The publishers were Hezekiah's servants, who, it is likely, herein acted as his servants, being appointed by him to do this good service to the church, among other good offices that he did in the law and in the commandments, Ch2 31:21. Whether he employed the prophets in this work, as Isaiah, Hosea, or Micah, who lived in his time, or some that were trained up in the schools of the prophets, or some of the priests and Levites, to whom we find him giving a charge concerning divine things (Ch2 29:4), or (as the Jews think) his princes and ministers of state, who were more properly called his servants, is not certain; if the work was done by Eliakim, and Joah, and Shebna, it was no diminution to their character. They copied out these proverbs from the records of Solomon's reign, and published them as an appendix to the former edition of this book. It may be a piece of very good service to the church to publish other man's works that have lain hidden in obscurity, perhaps a great while. Some think they culled these out of the 3000 proverbs which Solomon spoke (Kg1 4:32), leaving out those that were physical, and that pertained to natural philosophy, and preserving such only as were divine and moral; and in this collection some observe that special regard was had to those observations which concern kings and their administration.
Cross-references: Eccl 12:9 · John 21:25 · 2Chr 31:21 · 2Chr 29:4 · 1Kgs 4:32